I love to cook. Therefore, so
do my characters. I peruse cookbooks and watch hours of culinary
shows to glean ideas and basic proportions of ingredients to create
personal versions of old favorites. I tend to be a
pinch-and-a-handful kind of cook who seasons to taste, so I make no
guarantees as to the accuracy of the measurements listed.

If you try any of my
character's recipes, please send me
an e-mail to let me know how it turned out or if you have any problems or
questions.

Check back soon for something new and
delicious.

HANNAH'S HEAVENLY
CINNAMON-ALMOND SQUARES

from Hypnotic
Seduction

This is a buttery, RICH shortbread-style
cookie topped with cinnamon and almonds.

PREHEAT OVEN to 350 degrees

1 C Butter

1 C Granulated Sugar

1 Large egg
separated

1 t Almond
extract

2 C Flour

¾ Blanched slivered
almonds

2-3 T Sugar (depending on how much
topping you like)

1 t Cinnamon

Beat butter, sugar, egg yolk, and almond
extract together. Blend in flour. Spread dough on an ungreased sheet pan
and press into a flat rectangle approximately 10X15 and about ¼-inch
thick. Beat egg white until foamy. Brush foam evenly over dough. Scatter
nuts over the top. Combine 3T sugar and 1t cinnamon and sprinkle over
nuts. Bake at 350 degrees about 25 minutes or until lightly browned around
the edges. Allow to partially cool and cut into 2-3-inch squares,
depending on how large a cookie you prefer.

Cook green beans in lightly salted water until
almost tender and drain thoroughly. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Sautee diced onion
and mushrooms in 1½ T butter until lightly browned. Stir in 1 T flour and
2 t sugar. Blend in 1 C sour cream and 1 can of mushroom soup. Add salt
and black pepper to taste. Fold in well-drained green beans(I blot them
with a paper towel) and pour into a 9X13 baking dish. Top with slices of
Swiss Cheese and bake at 350 F degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven
and top with 3C of cornflakes sautéed and toasted in 2 T butter. (Canned
fried onion rings may be substituted for buttered cornflakes, but Abby
prefers the less greasy cornflakes).

Return the casserole to the oven and bake
another 10 minutes. ENJOY!!!

Beat eggs to a froth. In a 10-inch nonstick
skillet, sauté scallions for one minute then add spinach, chopped dill,
garlic powder, salt, and pepper and sauté quickly just until the spinach
starts to wilt. Combine the spinach mixture in the eggs and stir in
crumbled feta cheese. Rinse the skillet. Melt 2 t butter in the pan over a
medium heat. When the butter sizzles, add beaten egg mixture to the pan.
Gradually move the cooked edges to the center with a spatula while
alternately tipping the pan in a rotating motion to allow uncooked mixture
to move to the clear edges of the pan. When the eggs are nearly set, flip
the omelet.and lay slices of provolone cheese over ½ of the hot, cooked
side of the omelet and fold. Cook for another ½ minute, flipping it
halfway through to melt the cheese inside. Cut in half and garnish with a
sprig of dill.

Place in a 9X13X3 well-greased pan.
Sprinkle with paprika and bake at 350º for 25 minutes (or until almost
done). Cover with a thin layer of sliced Provolone (a little thicker
layer if you like things extra cheesy) and bake another 5-10 minutes.

With a mixer, blend the following wet
ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth:

1 C Sugar

1 C Dark Brown
Sugar (Packed)

4
Large eggs

1 C Canola or
other vegetable oil

2 t
Vanilla

1 T Grated
orange peel

Mix together in a separate bowl:

2 C Flour

1 t
Baking Powder

1 t
Baking Soda

1 t
Salt

2 t
Cinnamon

Slowly combine the dry ingredients into the
wet, beat until smooth.

Then add:

3 C Finely
shredded carrots (Packed)

3/4 C Chopped walnuts

Grease and flour 9X13 pan. Bake cake in
325 degree oven for 50-60 minutes. When the cake is tone the center
should spring back to the touch. Also insert a toothpick into the
center. When it comes up dry, remove from the oven and allow to sit
for 5-10 minutes before flipping onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Wait until it’s completely cool before frosting. Be sure to
refrigerate the cake since it has cream cheese in the icing. I
generally prefer cake chilled, anyway.

Cream Cheese Frosting

(This recipe makes quite a bit of frosting,
which Casey needs because she usually cuts the cake into two layers and puts some
icing in the middle. If you don't care for a lot of frosting, you
can cut this in half and still probably have enough to cover the cake
without filling it.)

12 ozs. Cream cheese (room
temperature)

1/2 C
1 stick of Butter
(room temperature--NOT MARGARINE)

1 t
Vanilla

1 lb. Box
of confectioners sugar

1-2 t
Lemon zest to taste.

OPTIONAL -- 1/2 C toasted shredded coconut or
chopped nuts sprinkled on top of the cake

Blend the cream cheese, butter and vanilla
together with a mixer and gradually add confectioners sugar until it is
the consistency and sweetness you prefer. Then add lemon zest to
your taste. After frosting the cake you can sprinkle chopped nuts or
toasted coconut on top before decorating. (Casey prefers the
grated toasted coconut. She uses a half a bag of grated coconut and
browns it on a cookie sheet in the oven for 2-3 minutes, stirring every
minute or so. Coconut browns fast, so watch it carefully so you don't burn
it.)